Monday, May 21, 2012

To date, the police refuses to liberate the girl, despite the repeated requests of the family. Mary Salik (fictitious name) was kidnapped last May 4 near Faisalabad by an uncle who had converted to Islam. The girl's father denounces conspiracy against his family: "My daughter has heart problems and was kidnapped by deception".

Faisalabad (AsiaNews) - The family of Mary Salik (fictional name for security reasons) asks for justice for the 14 year old Christian girl, kidnapped last May 4 in Ali (Faisalabad, Punjab) and forced to convert to Islam. The author of the kidnapping is the uncle of the girl, who embraced Islam about a year ago and since then ended all contact with the family of origin. He kidnapped the young girl to marry her off with his son Kashif. The wedding was celebrated on 7 May.

The girl's father, told AsiaNews that "my daughter is only 14 years old and suffers from the birth from heart problems and can not do heavy work. After converting my brother is conspiring against our family and kidnapped Mary with deception ".

Immediately after the seizure, the father of the young Christian girl turned to local police and demanded the immediate release of his daughter, but the agents refused to return Mary to her family. According to police, the girl converted of her own free will and submitted as evidence a written statement in which the girl says to "be mature and have embraced Islam without coercion or threats."

To get their daughter back, the parents decided to find a compromise with the help of some influential people in the area and have filed a petition against the police officers.

Fr. Bonnie Mendes, priest and activist, former secretary of the Pakistan National Commission for Justice and Peace, speaks of the abuses suffered by the Christian community. "Although we are free to pray - he says - and to practice our religion, we are threatened when we try to defend our rights." The priest denounces the problem of cases of forced conversions to Islam of young Christians, which together with the blasphemy law is one of the most severe violations of religious freedom to the detriment of minorities. For Fr. Mendes Mary's case is against the teachings of Islam. In fact, those who want to convert require an iddat, a discernment period that must last at least three months. However, due to ignorance, illiteracy and social injustice, most Muslims do not observe this rule.

Each month between 25 and 30 young girls suffer similar abuses, for a yearly total of about 300 conversions and forced marriages. Hindu girls - but also Christian - who are torn from the family while very young and delivered into the hands of their husbands / torturers. One case recently made headlines when the Pakistani Supreme Court forced three young Hindu women to return to their Muslim husbands, despite the desire of the young girls to return to their family. The young women were kidnapped in February, forced to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men. On March 26 Rinkle Kumari, one of the girls, told the judges of the Court that there "is no justice in this country only for Muslims, justice is denied Hindus. Kill me here, now, in court. But do not send me back to the Darul-Aman [Koranic school] ... they will kill us. " The other two young girls, Lata and Asha, had expressed, in vain, the desire to be reunited with their families.

Sixty petty traders are planning to open up stalls in front of electoral reform group Bersih 3.0 co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan's house in Bukit Damansara here on Thursday and Friday.

Their spokesperson, Kuala Lumpur Petty Traders Action Council chairman Jamal Md Yunus said they were calling the action as "Bersih 4.0-Mencucikan Bersih 1,2,3" (Bersih 4.0- Cleaning up Bersih 1,2.3) and that they hoped to recoup the losses they suffered during the Bersih 3.0 rally in the city on April 28.

Speaking at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur today, he said the traders would be operating stalls selling household goods, food and drinks from 3.30pm and 8pm on both the days.

"Each of the traders can expect a turnover of between RM300 and RM500 a day by trading there," he said.

He added that they would be applying for the needed permits from the authorities to do business there but would would still go ahead if denied.

Also present at the press conference were representatives from Malay right-wing movement Perkasa and the Malay Legal Council.

(Malaysiakini) Jasin
Umno Youth chief Jezlee Tit today admitted that they were part of the
protest at yesterday’s event in Merlimau featuring Bersih's Ambiga
Sreenevasan, but denied responsibility for the throwing of eggs and
stones.

Jezlee
said the flying projectiles - which hit two DAP state assemblypersons
and damaged several vehicles - was unexpected and protesters had never
been instructed to bring eggs and stones to the protest.

"I myself am not sure who were throwing (the projectiles) because there were Umno and non-Umno people at the protest yesterday.

"On my side, I never issued any instruction for eggs or stones to be brought (to the protest).

“I am sure it wasn't my boys who did it, Jasin boys aren't like that," he said when contacted by Malaysiakini.

Explaining
the situation, Jezlee, who is also Umno Jasin secretary, said the
protest was initially peaceful, but claimed that eggs and stones began
to fly after one of the event participant’s cars allegedly hit a child.‘Chaos after car hit protester’

"Before that (the attacks), a car had knocked into a boy, maybe he became angry because of that and then it became (chaotic).

"This (the stoning) is not good and we did not ask them to act like this," he said.

Jezlee,
who was present at the protest, said he tried to stop the protesters
from attacking the vehicles at the event when they turned rowdy, and
even assisted the vehicles to leave the area.

"I was near the car (that knocked into a protester). Everyone gave way for it to leave... I said don't (attack it)," he said.

He added that he had no problems with the opposition organising ceramahs but was against the programme because of Ambiga.

"We
do not agree for her to come because clearly she belittles Islam and
the law. We demonstrated to send her this message," he said.

In the incident
yesterday evening, Ayer Keroh state assemblyperson Khoo Poay Tiong was
hit by a stone and the car he was travelling in was pelted with eggs.

Bandar
Hilir state assemblyperson Tey Kok Kiew too suffered similar fate and
his car was damaged after protesters punctured his tyre and dented his
car.

Car windows of party supporters at the event were also smashed.

Ambiga was not present during the incident as the organisers had advised her against coming due to security concerns.
Her absence however did not stop the protesters from creating a ruckus at the event.

The Hindraf leader says he wants to contest both Kota Raja parliamentary and Sri Andalas state seats as 'we have no choice but to stand as independents now'.
FULL REPORT

KLANG: Hindraf and Human Rights Party (HRP) leader P Uthayakumar today officially announced that he would be contesting in the 13th general election in both state and parliamentary seats.

The seats are Kota Raja parliamentary seat and Sri Andalas state seat, currently held by Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud from PAS and PKR’s Dr Xavier Jeyakumar, respectively.

“We have no choice but to stand as independents now. We are going in as the first Hindraf activists. Three years after our release from ISA detention, none of Hindraf leaders have taken up any government positions in the Pakatan states. That’s because we want to champion the Indian cause without fear or favour,” Uthayakumar told a crowd of about 400 at Padang Chetty at Tengku Kelana in Klang.

“They [Pakatan Rakyat] only want the Indian votes, not solve the Indian problems,” he said, expressing clear disappointment that his invitation to the opposition to state its 100-day plan to address Indian issues has been “rejected” twice.

However, Uthayakumar stressed that Barisan Nasional (BN) was still its main enemy and it “wants Pakatan to go to Putrajaya, but to bring along seven Hindraf MPs and 14 state assemblymen as check and balance”.

“Our political position is firstly: Don’t vote for BN. We’ve have had enough – 50 years of Umno racism.”

“But Anwar [Ibrahim] is not here today,” said Uthayakumar, referring to his open offer to Pakatan, demanding that its leaders – PKR’s Anwar Ibrahim, PAS’ Hadi Awang and DAP’s Lim Kit Siang – publicly state their plans for the Indian community if they come to power.

Throughout the event today, Hindraf/HRP supporters, clothed in their usual orange uniforms, shouted “Long live Hindraf!” and “We want rights, not nambikei (trust)!” They marched alongside “urumee” drummers to the field where Hindraf leaders gave their speeches.

The spectacle also attracted a few hundred curious onlookers and also well-wishers.

Uthayakumar, the 51-year-old former Internal Security Act detainee, later spoke to reporters about his decision to contest in a general election for the first time since he began his activism in the 1980s.

‘My credential speak for itself’

“I am a lawyer of 22 years’ standing but now I am a full-time activist. I feel shy calling myself a ‘politician’ because popularity or scoring points is not my ultimate objective. It is the cause of the Indian poor, where there are no takers,” said Uthayakumar.

“If only the Chinese and Malay political leaders have spoken up, Hindraf would not have existed, and 100,000 would not have gone to the streets in 2007. But sadly now we (Hindraf) are labelled as racists.”

“My credential speak for itself. I was detained for one-and-a-half years for Hindraf, and I was never in BN, compared to many in Pakatan who are former Umno or MIC people. My links to the opposition go way back to 1978 when I first read a book Lim Kit Siang wrote and later 1998 when Anwar was sacked.

“Those two were my mentors, but today, if they have done something unjust I have to speak up.”

Asked to clarify the confusion between the Hindraf movement and HRP as a political party, Uthayakumar explained that he was still the Hindraf de facto leader and HRP pro tem secretary-general.

“I have always been the Hindraf de facto leader, there is no doubt about that. We run the headquarters of both Hindraf and HRP, I gave the orders for the Nov 25, 2007 Hindraf rally. So there is no confusion This is a small issue, it doesn’t matter,” he said, adding that he was unaware of reports that Hindraf had “severed ties” with him.

He said that a Hindraf supreme council meeting had decided that he should be the first candidate to announce his candidacy.

On whether he has a manifesto, Uthayakumar said one of Hindraf’s main agendas is to fight for the end of racist policies.

“Our main thrust is to end racism on both sides of the political spectrum. We want Malaysians born after 1957 to be Bumiputeras. We should have equal rights for all,” he said.

An uphill battle

Asked why should the Chinese and Malays vote for Hindraf since it mainly fights for the Indians, Uthayakumar said:

“The Indians, on a needs basis, need help the most; any reasonable Malay and Chinese would know that. In western societies, they bend backwards to help the minorities. But sadly in Malaysia, our politicians mainly play to the majority – Malay and Chinese – gallery. It is an uphill battle, but we still have to fight.”

“People ask me: What can I deliver? I can fight at the highest political level – at the State Legislative Assembly and Parliament, that is my promise. Not just at the streets now where I fight a case-by-case basis.”

“These are seats with 28% to 33% Indian voters. We’ll be announcing other candidates soon,” he said.

On why why he chose Kota Raja and Sri Andalas, Uthayakumar said: “Kota Raja has the highest Indian concentration at 29%, with Malays at 46%, Chinese (23%). We’ve the best chance here to reach Parliament. Hindraf has decided it has to be me. Sri Andalas has about 23% Indian voters so the situation is similar.”

Another factor in his favour, said Uthayakumar, is the absence of Orang Asli and military votes in the areas.

Uthayakumar said that Pakatan has tried to help the Indians in these constituencies but he said the current leaders lacked “permanent solutions”.

Written guarantee

“In Selangor, they’ve outsourced the Indian issues to NGOs, which is exactly what BN has done for so many years; they’ve outsourced it to MIC, so where is the ubah [change]?”

Uthayakumar said another big issue Hindraf is fighting for is the stateless Indians.

“Some 450,000 Indians have no documents. The government has documented thousands of foreigners but what about our own people, the Indians?”

On the possibility of Hindraf staying out of the general election entirely, Uthayakumar said it was still on the cards.

“Yes, we’ll stay out if Pakatan can give us a written guarantee that they will look into our 18-point demand and give us a timeline to fulfil them. We’re not here for money or politics, we just want
results,” he said.

Uthayakumar also said that another point Hindraf is putting out is that “not voting is an option”.

“It’s up to you, but just do not vote for BN. When it comes between Pakatan and Hindraf, please vote for us. We’ve asked Pakatan to make way. But if comes to a three-cornered fight, so be it, we have no other choice. It’s our last resort because we’ve sought to join forces many times, but they’ve ignored us.”

Malaysians of Indian origin account for about 1.9 million (7.3%) of the country’s 28 million population. Analysts have noted the impact the 2007 Hindraf rally had on the Indian voter trend, though it now remains to be seen if the same result can be achieved in the 13th general election, and whether Hindraf could still play as pivotal a role as it did in 2008.

Her guts have scared politicians, espcially those with much at stake, hence the dirty move to deter her from pursuing her agenda of pushing for free and fair elections.
COMMENT

Bersih 2.0 co-chairperson A Samad Said is asking a very pertinent question – why are the detractors not giving him a hard time and are hell bent on harassing his colleague S Ambiga?

“Why are they only targeting Ambiga, they should choose me too,” asked the 77 year-old national laurette.

Samad or better known as Pak Samad has deduced that the targetted protest against Ambiga could have a “racial or religious” connotation.

“If they continue to only target her, there may be a racial or religious slant which I think is not good,” he had said.

Indeed, Samad has spoken the truth. Had it been an Malay or Chinese woman battling for electoral reforms, would politicians like Ibrahim Ali dare clamour that her citizenship be revoked?

Or for that matter would the MCA or Umno remain silent had it been a Chinese or Malay woman whose life was being made a living hell?

Strangely or regrettably, the MIC has chosen to pander to the fancy of Umno, the dominant force of ruling coalition Barisan Nasional. Not a murmur was made by MIC big-wigs to reprimand those who continue to breach the law and harass the former Malaysian Bar president.

Ambiga spearheaded both the Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0 protests demanding for reforms to the nation’s electoral system. It was the Bersih 3.0 protest with its hundreds of thousands of turnout that saw detractors attacking Ambiga.

Post-Bersih 3.0, a series of protests that have taken place in front of Ambiga’s residence. On May 10, a group of burger sellers staged a protest in front of Ambiga’s house by distributing 200 burgers.

Malaysia Small and Medium Entrepreneurs Alliance (Ikhlas), the NGO behind the protest said burger stall owners had suffered losses amounting to RM200,000 due to the April 28 rally.

On May 15, a group of 15 army veterans carried out butt flexing exercises facing her house. In reaction to the protest she said that it was a “targeted and planned harassment”.

Ambiga had said that since people know where she lives, they have constantly been coming to her house asking for free burgers and merely standing at her gate calling out her name.

On May 18, there was an attempted break-in at Ambiga’s office in Damansara. She did not rule out intimidation tactics to scare her from pursuing the Bersih cause for clean and fair elections.

Protect the rakyat, stop the tasteless humour

While Ambiga’s privacy continues to be infringed upon, the police does not find it troubling enough to warrant action.

Instead, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar had declared there was nothing wrong with protesting in front of her house as these protesters did not trespass on private property.

Likewise, the police continues to downplay the attempted break-in at her office. Ambiga in her police report had mentioned that two men on a motorcycle have been following her for several days.

Would the police’s reaction be the same had Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s house been the target of those unhappy with his leadership which is riddles with corruption, nepotism and cronyism?

Or is it a case of ‘pilih bulu’ or choosing whom to protect based on their skin colour?

Khalid’s comment that it was not wrong for protesters to demonstrate in front of Ambiga’s house is full of ambiguity. Is creating nuisance outside the residence of a person not unlawful? Also, is it unlawful to sexually harass an individual, albeit the distance involved?

If it is not, then the time has come for such acts to be criminalised. Khalid has to stop making a fool of both himself and the police force.

When non-governmental organisation WargaAMAN said it would set up stall outside Khalid’s house in Ampang on May 20 to distribute thosai for free to the public in an attempt to promote the dish, Khalid found it humorous enough to order a ‘thosai telur’ and suggested that the stall be set up at a nearby field since his house was not a suitable location.

Khalid clearly lacks wisdom in discerning the gravity of an issue. Trying to display his sense of humour which was tasteless at best, he has only reinforced the people’s belief that the police force is on a tight leash of the ‘powers that be’.

As for premier Najib, how can he expect the rakyat’s mandate to rule the country when as a leader who claims that he puts “people first” above all else, he is not the least concerned about the threats and harassment being made against a member of the public?

Najib has also failed the rakyat when he opted to ‘play’ spectator each time Umno and Malay right wing Perkasa demanded that Ambiga’s citizenship be recalled.

Whatever the case, Ambiga wins hands down

When she led the rakyat in the Bersih 2.0 and Bersih 3.0 rallies respectively, Ambiga’s intention was far from being hailed as a hero. She was perturbed by the hanky-pankies taking place via the electoral process and decided it was time for a clean-up.

But her guts have scared the politicians, espcially those with much at stake, hence the dirty move to deter her from pursuing her agenda of pushing for free and fair elections.

Have those underhand tactics worked? Hardly. The spin-off effect is that the rakyat has realised the sincerity behind her call for electoral reforms.

And unlike Khalid and her detractors, Ambiga has revealed immense maturity when she asked WargaAMAN not to proceed with its ‘free thosai’ event.

Ambiga knows only too well this is not going to solve the already tensed situation. Besides, such actions transgressed the law and amounted to being a public nuisance.

“I strongly urge all to refrain from these acts which infringe on the privacy of an individual. I urge those who are proposing to give the thosai to make them and distribute them to charity.

“Everyone must work towards making Malaysia a better place for all and we must be respectful of private spaces,” she told FMT.

Suffice to say that therein lies the difference between a woman who is out to fight for the rakyat and a top cop who takes dictates from politicians.

(Guardian) Irshad Manji, author of The Trouble with Islam Today and Allah, Liberty
and Love claims that moderate Muslims are afraid of breaking out of
religious orthodoxy and explains why she's calling for a reformation
within Islam

(The
Star) - An Opposition high tea programme in Merlimau turned ugly when
hundreds of youths turned up and pelted those attending the function
with eggs and stones.

The youths also surrounded and damaged the vehicles of at least two people, one of which belonged to a DAP assemblyman.

The youths had gathered there after hearing that Bersih co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga was invited to give a speech at the ceramah which was supposed to begin at 5pm yesterday. However, she did not turn up.

The
youths, all clad in red T-shirts, hurled abuses at several local
community leaders who came for the function held at a field here.

The group shouted Bersih Bodoh (Bersih is stupid) and Halau (Drive them out).

About
20 riot policemen arrived to cordon off the area and provided a safe
route to those attending the ceramah, while other policemen helped to
separate the group and the crowd.

However, when the ceramah ended at 7pm, the crowd began to attack several cars.
DAP state assemblyman Tey Kok Kiew said his car was ambushed by the boisterous group while he was driving out to the main road.

Both
my side mirrors were broken and my car was hit with eggs and stones,
he said after lodging a report at the Merlimau police station last
night.

Another victim Lui Poh Siong, 42, said the drivers side window and left rear window of his car were smashed.

The ceramah was attended by some 300 community members, who arrived using alternative and village roads.
A
police officer later confirmed that Ambiga had not turned up at the
event, which was attended by PKR Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin.

Malaysiakini reported yesterday that the Persatuan Peguam Peguam Muslim Malaysia “is
protesting Canadian author Irshad Manji’s programme in Kuala Lumpur on
account of her “liberal” Muslim position, and wants her out of the
country”.

The president of the Persatuan, Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, is quoted as categorising Irshad’s programme as a “cancer to Islamic practices in Malaysia”and calling on the ulama to come up with “rebuttals to counter” Irshad’s ideas.

Is this, therefore, a concession by the president of the Persatuan that he has, himself, no answer to her points of view?

And having no answer, his solution then is to have her shoo-ed out of the country, so no one gets to hear her views?

Is this how Zainul Rijal wins his difficult, “I have no answer to my opponent” cases in court?

Steal a march on his opponents by denying them the right to be heard?

He opposes Irshad on account of her liberal Muslim position?

So he accepts, then, that there is another view point of Islam, other than his own?

A liberal Muslim position, as opposed to his own, whatever it may be?

If by liberal is meant respecting the view point of the next person,
on Islam or anything else for that matter, yes, I am a liberal.

I have made no secret of the fact that my views on Islam differ with that of the likes of Zainul Rijal.The Quranic is testimony to this.

What is God’s command, in respect of this differing point of view, according to the Holy Qur’an?“God will judge between you on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which you used to differ” – Surah 22 verse 69.

You disagree with Irshad’s viewpoint, or mine? What should you do?

“Invite to the way of your
Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and debate with them in a way
that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from
His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided” – Surah 16 verse 125

I guess this simply will not do for Zainul Rijal and his band of Islam – as I say – ists.
All this in defence of God and Islam, they will say?

Huh!“And say, “Praise to Allah , who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] dominion and has no need of a protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with great glorification.” – Surah 17 verse 111

For Islam in Malaysia today, dominated as it is by the likes of
Zainul Rijal and his ilk, who will go to the ends of the world to
prevent the minds of those who profess Islam from being opened to
consider, contemplate and reason, writers like Irshad will always be a
cancer to their cause.

The Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said in today’s press that Malaysians should view the Bersih 3.0 demonstration in a more rational manner and look at the Government’s concern over what could go wrong if people took to the streets.

Unfortunately, in the past three weeks after the Bersih 3.0 rally on April 28, the government as represented by the Home Minister and the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak have themselves failed this simple test of acting in “a more rational manner” to address.the controversies of what went wrong on April 28 resulting in the incidents of violence and brutality, regardless of whether the victims were police personnel, media representatives or peaceful protestors.

Najib and Hishammuddin should call off the Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign to paint Bersih 3.0, the organizers and participants, in the worst and most sinister light, as the first step for the BN government to prove to Malaysians that it is capable of responding rationally and responsibly to the people’s legitimate demands for clean elections.

The Bersih 3.0 demonisation campaign started with the wild and irresponsible allegation by the Prime Minister that it was an anti-national conspiracy which included a coup attempt by the Opposition to topple the government, which conspiracy theory was immediately given blind and unthinking support by the former Inspector-General of Police Tun Hanif Omar when there was no iota of evidence; culminating in the “Great Lie and Spin” on TV1 on Sunday when the government station telecast a 30-minute “documentary” entitled “Bersih 3.0 itu Kotor” to poison the minds of viewers about Bersih 3.0.

What the BN spin-masters did not realise is that the hundreds of thousands of Malaysians who gathered peacefully in Kuala Lumpur in response to the call of Bersih 3.0, and the millions who have direct information of what actually happened on April 28, could not identify with TV1 programme or agree that Bersih 3.0 was some grand or evil conspiracy to cause violence, unrest and even toppling of the government!

In fact, they could only be turned off and completely alienated by the TV1 screed which is available on YouTube – not only because it was so untrue but so unfair!

To them, Bersih 3.0 will forever remain a historic, momentous and even liberating experience where Malaysians regardless race, religion, region, class, age or gender came out together in peace and common humanity, out of a deep and abiding sense of patriotism and love for country, in support of the national cause for clean elections for a clean Malaysia.

All that they were armed were salt and water bottles, not to combat the police or topple the government, but to protect themselves in case of police tear gas and chemically-laced water cannon in order to send out the clear and unmistakable message that 54 years after Merdeka in 1957, Malaysians want clean elections and a clean Malaysia!

True, there were deplorable incidents of violence and brutality which marred the great Bersih 3.0 rally – but these deplorable incidents took place after 3 pm on April 28.

Before 3 pm, there was absolutely no tension in the air, as the hundreds of thousands who gathered in Kuala Lumpur were peaceful, in great harmony and carnival spirit, to celebrate the unprecedented democratic awakening, empowerment and unity of Malaysians.

This why Malaysians want an impartial, thorough and high-powered inquiry to find out what went wrong on April 28 and who marred the great Bersih 3.0 rally – whether it was caused by a handful of protestors or a small group of police personnel, who took the law into their own hands and started a riot against the peaceful public.

This is also why the independent advisory panel headed by former IGP Tun Hanif Omar to inquire into the Bersih 3.0 violence and brutality is completely unacceptable to the majority of thinking and decent Malaysians, not because Hanif was former IGP but for the simple reason that he had prejudged Bersih 3.0 with baseless and biased views after April 28.

If Najib and Hishammuddin want credibility and legitimacy for any findings of a Bersih 3.0 inquiry, they should heed the call which finds resonance in the country as well as in international circles for a completely new inquiry panel and not proceed with the panel headed by Hanif.

Form either a Royal Commission of Inquiry, a Suhakam inquiry or best of all, invite the United Nations rapporteurs, namely Frank La Rue on the promotion and the protection of the right to freedom and expression and Maina Kiai on the right to freedom of assembly and of association, to carry out independent investigations and present their report to the Malaysian people and government as well as the international community.

[Speech (2) at the DAP Sarawak forum on “Two-Party System – Our Hope” in Kuching on Saturday, 19th May 2012 at 9 pm]

WASHINGTON, May 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysian students should look at the
world as a stage and take advantage of the enormous opportunities
abroad, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said here following a
luncheon and a Friday prayer session with students and embassy staff.

"You can maintain your roots but also have a global perspective by
acquiring job experience and proficiency in several languages," Najib,
who is on a private visit here, said.

He said students should take advantage of internship programmes such as
the one initiated by the Malaysia-US Chamber of Commerce based here, in
collaboration with Education Malaysia in Washington DC, which opens the
door for Malaysian students in the U.S. to intern with Malaysian or
American-owned companies in either Malaysia or in the United States over
the summer to enhance their learning experience.

"Even if you work in the U.S., we won't lose you forever, " he said
Friday at the luncheon hosted by Ambassador Datuk Othman Hashim.

Najib was accompanied by the Malaysian Special Envoy to the U.S., Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis.

"My job is to create as many opportunities - beyond that, it is up to
you," the prime minister told about 30 Malaysian undergraduate and
graduate students currently pursuing engineering, biotech and actuarial
science at Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey; Rutgers
University, New Jersey; Temple University, Pennsylvania; and Purdue
University, Indiana.

Najib and his Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor are on a private visit to attend the graduation of their son Nor Ashman Saturday.

The proud dad, in a lighter moment, recalled his rare visit to his
son's dorm room in Washington DC, where he was "horrified" when he did
not see any books.

Noting his father's concern, Nor Ashman calmed him by reminding him
that he did not need many books because he can read them digitally, and
that the proof would be in the results.

As many proud parents would do, Najib happily reported that his
21-year-old son surpassed his expectations by completing his Bachelor's
degree in International Affairs with Magna cum Laude honours and an
above average CGPA of 3.71 from Georgetown University.

The prime minister also touched on the 1Malaysia concept, and
emphasised that it was not merely a slogan but an initiative to make
Malaysia inclusive - that Malaysia was not only for a particular ethnic
group or religion, but for all Malaysians.

He updated Malaysian students on several development projects in
Malaysia, including the Refinery & Petrochemical Integrated
Development (RAPID) complex launched by Petronas in Pengerang, Johor, in
addition to a petrochemical complex undertaken by a Taiwanese company,
which is expected to create some 5,000 jobs on a permanent basis and an
additional 5,000 jobs on a contractual basis.

Najib also spoke of the River of Life (RoL) beautification project
aimed at transforming the Klang and Gombak rivers into vibrant and
liveable waterfronts and to increase the economic viability of the area.

"We have to make the cake bigger and redistribute it to all
Malaysians," he pointed out, adding that the Malaysian economy was
improving and the government last year collected RM26 billion in tax
revenue following assertive measures to collect taxes.

The improving economy has permitted the government to provide financial
assistance of RM500 to some four million households earning less than
RM3,000 per month.

On politics, Najib expressed his disappointment over the Bersih 3.0
rally, describing it as "not so bersih" (peaceful) after having been
hijacked by parties with their own agenda to create the perception of
instability in the country.

He said the unruly protesters had refused the government's offer of a
suitable venue and then broke the law, which resulted in the situation
escalating into violence and chaos where even police officers were
assaulted.

Najib compared this with the massive Umno rally held at the Bukit Jalil
National Stadium where more than 100,000 people gathered peacefully and
without any untoward incident.

Ambiga and the Bersih team have sent a message to all Malaysians
after she was forced to cancel her speaking engagement in Merlimau
following reports that it could be harassed or disrupted.

The concerns were not unfounded. A mob reportedly pelted two DAP
state assembly person and their supporters as they were leaving the
event organised by the Malacca Pas Supporters Club. The entrance to the
event had been blocked by a group of 200 red-shirted people.

The red-shirted group in Merlimau - Photograph: alamijiwaparadox.blogspot.com

We are seeing the same kind of disturbing fascist behaviour rearing its ugly head again.
And what does the “reformist” Prime Minister have to say about this kind of hooliganism by such mobs?
Ambiga says she only wants to speak about clean and fair elections
and she cannot understand why anyone would have a problem with that.

As part of the Jom 100 campaign, she, Pak Samad and the Bersih team
are calling for a 100 per cent voter turnout to overcome any possible
attempt to cheat at the polls or to intimidate voters through violence
and hooliganism: “Keluar mengundi, lawan penipuan!”